Beam bending machine



Aug. 2, 1960 n. M. SPRINGER BEAM BENDING MACHINE Filed March 25. 1958 II. "IIINIII llll INVENTOR.

Dori M Springer 5 United States Patent Q 2,947,344 BEAM BENDING MACI-HNE Don M. Springer, 2'61 Parque Drive, San Francisco, Calif. Filed Mar. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 723,931 2 Claims. or. 153- 48) (Granted under Title as, US. Code 1952 see. 266) The invention may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to shaping apparatus, and, more partoiularly, to press dies for producing arcuate bends in beam members.

Various devices and methods have been developed to produce an angular bend in beam members such as I or H beams, the most common of the various methods involving a rolling operation which shapes a conventional metal I or H beam by passing it between large circular rollers. To avoid distortion and to maintain the parallel relationship of the beam fianges during the rolling operation, the beam member is uniformly filled between the flanges of both sides of the web with packing bars and shims and, to permit the bars and shims to slide relative to each other and to the beam during the rolling operation, they also are packed in grease. The packed beam then is positioned and passed between the rollers for forming the arch or radius.

However, in such an operation it is mandatory, in order to avoid distortion, that the beam be kept at right angles to the rollers and, obviously, such a procedure requires excessive squaring and resetting which is tedious and exacting. Subsequent to the rolling, the bars and shims are removed and the grease is cleaned from the beam. The beam is then squared and reset as the need demands.

The packing bars are costly and diflicult to obtain since it is necessary to make and prepare them for use, which involves layout, cutting from costly stock, planing and smoothing. Each bar must be restraightened subsequent to each use and a bars life amounts to approximately seven uses. Because of the extensive equipment required for such a bending operation, advance planning is necessary.

Undesirable effects spring from the rolling operation, the most prominent being the crumpling or bending of the beam web due to the pressure applied by the rollers. When such occurs, the web begins to feed unevenly between, the rollers resulting in a distorted, twisted and wrinkled beam. This can be avoided only by constantly keeping the beam at right angles to the rollers but, de-

spite the care taken to feed the beam properly, some squaring and resetting is still required in each instance.

Another undesired result is the excessive thinning that comes about from the rolling operation, this being due to the rollers not only bending the beam, but, due to the heavy pressure of the rollers also causing a spread or thinning which materially weakens the beam.

One method employed for producing an angular bend in such members involves heating the member and bending it around a form while in the heated state. Such heating causes the metal to become porous which permits rust to easily form therein that effects deterioration and thus, a weakened member which must be replaced.

2,947,344 Patented Aug. 2, 1960 Another method involved cutting the beam longitudinally and shaping each portion independently and subsequently connecting the two together by some suitable method such as welding. The beam is generally weakened by such an operation and is a costly time-consuming process.

Still another method may involve casting the beam in the desired shape. Such a method involves a shipping problem since the arcuate members are more space de manding. In addition, such requires the beams being determined for a specific use at the time of manufacture, leaving little discretion to the user.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a device for shaping frames by a single operation.

Another object is to provide a shaping device which eliminates the need for steering the member being shaped by structure for automatically self-aligning it.

Yet another object is the provision of a device for shaping members which reduces thinning, or otherwise prevents weakening.

Still another object is to provide a device for shaping frames that eliminates tedious, time-consuming, unclean, and expensive operations.

A still further object is the provision of a shaping device which may be used after little advance planning.

According to the invention a device for shaping a frame member is provided by combining a shaping structure with that which automatically aligns the member being shaped. Such is accomplished by employing two rigid blocks each having a curved surface which correspond one to the other so they fit together substantially even. The self-aligning is accomplished by the firm contact of the blocks with the beam and by each block possessing a plurality of bars attached thereto having inturned ends termed fingers. These blocks and fingers contact the member being shaped and retain the alignment thereof to avoid twisting, thus reducing the distortion to an extensive degree.

The blocks with the bars thereon are attached to a large press. One block is supported on the bed of the press and the other is bolted to the hammer. The fingers are located in a staggered relationship so that, as the upper movable block is lowered, the fingers of the upper block pass between those of the lower block.

The I or H beam to be shaped is manually fed into one end of the press supported die. The hammer is caused to raise and lower the dies upper portion and a series of pressing operations follow as the beam is fed incrementally a small section at a time. The beam member emerges having a curvature, largely dependent upon the radius of the curved surfaces of the blocks.

The nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will be more readily apparent from consideration of the following specification relating to the annexed drawing.

Fig. l is a side elevation showing the shaping of an I beam, the die blocks in this instance being illustrated in their pressure-exerting disposition.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along lines II-II of Fig. 3, the I beam being shown in phantom outline.

Fig. 3 is an end view taken along lines III-III of Fig. 1.

, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the die blocks in a separated disposition permitting the insertion and longitudinalmovement of the I beam. V

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a bar. r

, In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in the drawings, a press 1 is provided, the press having a conventional hammer 2 and a bed 3. The hammer is moved reciprocably in a vertical direction by conventional and well known structure. upper block 4 is attached to 3.. hammer 2 and has an equal plurality of bars 5 having inturned ends or fingers 6, supported on both of its sides or marginal edges. A lower: block '7 is supported on bed 3 and, has an equal plurality of bars 8 having inturned ends, or. fingers 9" supported on both or its sides. Both blocks have curved bed. surfaces or faces 10,11; (Fig. 2), the lower block, however, having aflat inclined face: 12'

employedas a-supp'orting table for the incoming beam:

member.

The blocks of the illustrated embodiment, preferablyare-east metal-and; with regard: to size and shape, the lower block may be rectangular with a thickness of approximately 11 inches, at length of 45 inches and a suitable width ofQa'bout 6 or more. inches; Inclined fiat face 12 is'about'2incheslower at the inner and'lower end than at the outer and higher end.

The curvatures ofthe curved'face's are dependent upon the. desired'curvatur'e of the member beingshaped, and

12 inchesthick. The upper block, as well as thelower one, may have an eye bolt'or other convenient structure.

connected;theretoiofacilitate handling.

Bars S'of the upper block and 8 of the lower block are of suitable strudy stock, such as steel. size'an'dshape of the bars 5' and 8 and their respective interned ends or finger portion 9 depends on the type ofmember 13 being shaped; The bars 5 and. 8 shown more clearly, in Figure 3, are made sufliciently long to extend from the bottom of the'lower' block 7, to the bottom surface of the top of the Web of the I or H beam being formed. This amounts to approximately 15 inches'for the bars located at' the ends of the lower block and progressively less for those located nearer the center;

Since the thickness of the lower block 7 is less atthe center, thebars 3 maybe shorter if located ator' near the-center. Likewise; the bars 5 of; the upper block 4 must be progressively longer "at the center sincethere the block 4 is thicker, due to the convex'curvature, and so the top surface of 'the bot-tom flange of the 'I or H' beam may-be contacted:

' The bars 5 and 8 are attached to the die members 4,

and 7 respectively andare arranged in parallel but staggered relationship'whereby'the bars 5 of one die will partially overlap and be positioned between thebars 8 of the other' die duringthe shaping operation: lIence,

some suitable number such as six'bars may be supported on either side of the lowerblock and five on'eithcr side of the upper one. The bars are of a suitable thickness 17 suchtast2'inches, andsup'ported on the block in any convenient manner such'as welding.

Each bar has a finger portion 9 which extends laterally tothe longitudinal length of the bars main body. The extent of projection9 of the fingers is dependent on the width of the member'13 being shaped, and in the embodiment shown, on the thickness of the web. 14 conmeeting the flanges 15 and 16 of the beam 13. Thefing'ersrn ust extend approximately to the-center ofthe block In the embodiment shown, the radius ofthe surface The particular 4 7 tion which is dependent, in this instance, on the thickness of the web of the beam and the length of the pressing action effected by the press. Since the fingers must fit between the flanges 15 and 16 adjacent the web, their length 19 cannot exceed that of the web 14 and should be considerably less than the web height. Therefore the difference between the length 19 of the fingers 9 and web 14 determines the length of thrust the press gives the upper block'4 to shape the frame-member 13, and hence, the'fingers -maybe somev suitable length 19, such as three inches. The top surface 21 of the fingers preferably are shaped to provide maximumcontact for the fingers and confrontingsurface of the beam flange, and thereby retain the proper position and alignment of the flanges to aid inelfectingan automati'c self-alignment of the beam during its shaping. 'As shown, these flangeengaging portions 21 of the fingers most suitably are flat-surfaced but also they are beveledor inclined was to conform cumulatively with. the curvature of the die beds.

In use, the blocks and bars are attached tothe hammer and bed of the.press.. A beam or other member tobe shaped has one end positioned on the supporting table 12 and is manually slid between the opposed dies tordis pose fingers 6 and 9 between-the. beam flanges (Fig.4). The press is actuated in aconventional manner to effect a-series of pressing operations, and, simultaneously,.thebeam to be formed is fed into and throughthe die by a: series of small incremental advances. As is apparent, such. shaping is effected in a single pass and little or. no advance planning or use of. other equipment is needed. The firm contact of the. blocks withthe flanges of the beam being shaped, as welllasthe shape andposition of fingers 6 and 9 of bars 5 and 8 permits the member'being formed to automatically retain self-alignment and dispenses with the need for. packing, greasingand constant resetting. Thus, such selflalighihg feature not only avoids distortion and wrinkling of the beam being formed but alsov eliminates thinning thereby preventingundue increase in length as, a result of the bending and. shaping operation and hence, the tedious,,time-consuming, squat ing and resetting iseliminated. Further, since there: is no need for packing bars and shims, the expensive and time-consuming project of their fabrication and main-. tenance isfeliminat'ed. in addition, since no grease is required, no need arises for cleaning operations and no dangerous working conditions. for personnel arises from grease covering the; working, area. plicity of the device as well'asits comparative small spacerequirement; machinery otherwise employed, as well as vital'working space; is not restrictedfor otheruse'." A150,. since the device" do'eshot' require undue pressure during the shaping. process; laboratory analysis indicates that the thinning'is extensively reduced: Further, since the device producesthe arcuate beam by a single forming op eration, without heating, cutting etc, it is formed with but a small los'sof inherentstrength; I

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing description has been concerned'primarily' with only a pr'e: ferred embodiment, and that the invention isintended to cover all changes andmodific'ations within'its' spirit and scope. a

What is claimed is: I

1. An apparatus for arcuately shaping a flange. beam member comprising the combinationof opposed dies that may be relatively reciprocated and that have curved'surfaces for engaging the" confronting surfacesof a beam member being shaped"and means for'sclf-aligningsaid beam member'whilel it isbeing shaped comprising a plurality of bars that' areJ attached to said dies and'arrangcd in a parallel but staggered relationship wherebyitheb s. of one die. willpa'rtially overlap and be positioned} 1 tween'the bars attached'to the other die during the, shap ing operation, said" bars havinginturned fingers'fthat ex tend laterallytd'the 'mainbod'y 'of'the bar's wherehy' Becauseof the .siin-- each bar has a surface that contacts a confronting surface of a flange of said beam being shaped, said confronting surfaces being on opposite sides of flanges of said beam, whereby said dies and bars confine spaced portions of said flanges during shaping to prevent unwanted distortion.

2. An apparatus for arcuately shaping a flange beam member comprising the combination of opposed dies that may be relatively reciprocated and that have curved surfaces for engaging the confronting surfaces of a beam member being shaped and means for self-aligning said beam member while it is being shaped comprising a plurality of bars that are attached to said dies and arranged in a parallel but staggered relationship whereby the bars of one die will partially overlap and be positioned between the bars of the other die during the shaping operation, said bars having inturned fingers that extend laterally to the main body of the bars and whereby each bar has a surface that contacts a confronting surface of'a flange of said beam member being shaped, said confronting surfaces being on opposite sides of flanges of said beam, whereby said dies and bars confine spaced portions of said flanges during shaping to prevent unwanted distortion, said bars having a longer body portion as the position of a bar of one group of bars on the die nears the center of'one die and a shorter body portion as the position of a bar of another group of bars on another die nears the center of that other die whereby the self-aligning feature of the apparatus functions as the shaping operation nears completion to thereby provide a self-aligning action on said beam member being shaped.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 16,445 Schmidt et a1. Oct. 26, 1926 535,088 Atkinson Mar. 5, 1895 650,049 Lynch May 22, 1900 1,178,020 Leonard Apr. 4, 1916 1,721,964 McAleenan July 23, 1929 1,890,949 Proctor Dec. 13, 1932 2,216,694 Morgan Oct. 1, 1940 2,350,046 Kelleher May 30, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 563,782 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1944 

